The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-01-09
The Railroads and the Mails.

Some of our exchanges in the inte-
rior are reiterating the question so often
repeated in the Times Union: ''Shall
Florida railroads. deriving their fran
chises from Florida law. and enriched
with Florida land grants, deliberately
and habitually sacrifice Florida's local
interests and mail service to "Northern
connections" arranl ed for the benefit of
city in another State?' Now when
ever the railroads begin a policy hurtful
to the interests or people of Florida.
then the PALATKA News will be found
with the people; it has been so in the
past and will be so in the future.
But the question of the Times Union
has been SD often repeated that 1t needs
to be analysed The real meaning as pro-
pounded by the Times Union is this:
Shall not railroads, who are under obi
cations to the State, be run in the inter
ests of Jacksonville: Shall not those
run in the interests of Jacksonville, be
especially profitable to the Times Union?
Shall the tourist travel of a winter sea-
son be- compelled to wait in Jacksonville
rather than IN ST. Augustine, Palatka,
Gainesville or Ocala: Shall passengers
be made TO wait in Jacksonville rather
than the Times UHiOn2 Do the obliga-
tons TO the people of the State, make it
the duty of the railroads to discriminate
against the interior cities in fa,or Of
.JdcAsonriLe2 Is railroad bound to do
more for the postal service than it's con-
tract calls for? III II does not comply
with It's contract, should not the postal
authorities enforce compliance? Ii il
does not comply with its contract. does
not the blame lie more with the party
who dictated it than with the railroad?
OF Old time the DeBary line made a
way-station of Palstka, ana we asked
that il amend its ways, but never claim
ed the amendment ON the high ground
that to stop at Palatka during the day
time, was duty the line owed to the
people Of Florida. Why is it different
now? II the Times Union were fighting
for principle, why did it not help a por
ton ''of the people of Florida" who
steady stream hurried on to Sanford
from Jacksonville? But instead Of idle
complaints anu more idle threats, our
people went to work to induce the tide
Of tourists to stop here. We built
grand hotel, we offered such indu e.
rnents that railroad shops were located
here. We secured daylight line on the
river and 1T paid Why should the
Times Union invoke the people of Flor
ida and threaten action by the legisla-
ture TO get what is Just: liz it claims
only what ia due, why cannot city
newspaper and metropolitan popula-
ton force compliance, in a free country
governed by law:
lie is because it demands more than
Justice; 1t is because Palatka, and Ocala,
and Orlando and Gainesville are no
longer country towns, necessarily tribu-
tary to- Jacksonville. The interior cities
are holding their own, and will continue
to do so against such attacks of the
Times Union or any other party. The
managers of the j., T. & X. w. Rail-
way have assisted the people of Pala:ka
in all attempts to- help themselves, they
have shown themselves interested in
our growth, and they have always put
their own shoulders to the wheel to
help along the progress of community
which appreciates their sympathy as
we'll as their business ability. And
when Mr.. Moran and Gen. Bentley are
reproached for what is forced upon
them by the inevitable logic of their sur
rDundings and their duty to- the road,
then Palatka comes in to say that,
with others of her sisters, she did il
with her little Ratchet. We have all
good will to Jacksonville, We acknowl-
edge her seniority as well as her size,
but she is only our sister, not our moth
er, and we owe ner love but not obedi
ence. The Florida law creating rail
roads was enacted for the benefit of the
whole State, and does not require that
railroads discriminate against Sanford.
Palatka, Ocala or Gainesville, by COM
pelling tourists to stop in Jacksonville.
Let the postal service be brought to the
bar for failure to provide proper mail
facilities; let as good service as possible
he given to us all, but there is no need
to blame railroad officials for sins of
omission or commission not justly laid
at their doors.